Quantcast


Archives for September 2008

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Old Fashioned Environmentalism

by Lisa Stauber September 30th, 2008 | Reduce, Reuse

Use it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Do without

This was a popular ditty during the Depression era, when pinching pennies was a way of life. It’s also a useful poem for consumers to remember as they try to shop in a more environmentally conscious way.


Use it up: This is self explanatory. Squeeze every bit of toothpaste from the tube, store detergent upside down to get the last drop, eat the whole apple. You’ll throw away less.


Wear it out: Don’t upgrade basic things because you can. Keep the same dishes, towels, sheets, and household

Read More

Grow Your Own Greens

by Lisa Stauber September 23rd, 2008 | Easy Ideas, For the Kitchen, Reduce

Recently, Be Green Info brought you a story about locavores – consumers committed to eating locally grown food, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions from long distance trucking and the overpackaging that accompanies food from far away. Sometimes, though, there isn’t any local produce available, or farmer’s markets are held at inconvenient times and places.



What’s an environmental foodie to do? Forget about buying carbon credits – it’s easy to grow your own salad! Even an apartment dweller can plant a few greens in a container on a patio.



Lettuce and other greens

Read More

Recycling Is Elementary

by Michele September 11th, 2008 | Recycle, Reduce
Children are full of amazing ideas.  That has been proven at Griffin Memorial School in Litchfield, New Hampshire.  During a lesson with Fern Seiden, the school's guidance counselor, a third grade class suggested starting a bottle recycling program.  The students were concerned with the great amount of plastic water bottles that were placed in the trash.

These students knew of the benefits of recycling, as a paper recycling program had been in place at Griffin for several years.  This program was created as a joint venture between the Parent-Teacher Organization and some third grade teachers.  Using money from the NH is
Read More

Is Ethanol the Answer?

by Lisa Stauber September 9th, 2008 | Pollution, Reduce

Ethanol has been touted as an alternative, renewable energy source. It is created from plant matter, and there is no drilling required. If the United States could convert from imported oil to an ethanol-based biofuel, energy independence would be assured. Or would it?


Ethanol in America is derived from corn kernels and has been used to fuel cars in the past. In fact, Henry Ford’s Model T was designed to run on 100% ethanol. The Clean Air Act passed in 1990 mandates that standard petroleum-based gasoline is to be mixed with ethanol in certain cities to cut down

Read More

Being Green in the Kitchen

by Louise September 4th, 2008 | Easy Ideas, For the Kitchen
When cooking: Before you decide to throw out something, take a second look at it. Can it be recycled? Generally, if it's labeled as a number 1 or 2 plastic, the item can be recycled. (Don't forget to recycle all paper products as well.) Can it be reused? Perhaps a container that can't be recycled could come in handy as a temporary container or mixing bowl for a different meal. Can it decompose? Leftover vegetables, bread crumbs, fruits, and other foods can be put in the compost. If you have a garden, but not a composting system, it might be time
Read More